Naked Conversations: How Blogs Are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers

I finally finished Naked Conversations, the best (and first?) book that truly captures the essence, importance and value of why businesspeople need to blog.

It’s written by Robert Scoble and Shel Isreal. Robert Scoble helps run Microsoft’s Channel 9 Web site. He began his blog in 2000 and now has more than 3.5 million readers every year. Scoble’s blog has earned acclaim in Fortune magazine, Fast Company, and The Economist. Shel Israel played a key strategic role in introducing some of technology’s most successful products, including PowerPoint, FileMaker, and Sun Microsystems workstations. He’s been an expert on innovation for more than twenty years.

Now, since I always enjoyed book reports when I was a kid, here are my Top 8 Quotes from the book that are worth repeating:

“While as many as 1/3 of all blogs started may be abandoned within a year, the overall growth of bloggin is among the fastest of any technology in history. According to Pew, 1/4 of all Web users in the US read blogs, and that number is increasing at the rate of 60% annually.”

“The most important aspect of the blog is that it is conversational…businesses need to join the conversations because they build trust…blogs also humanize companies, or at least the people who work inside them.”

“Blogging turns out to be the best way to secure a high Google ranking…nothing will boost your search engine standing better…neither a press release nor a full page ad in the New York Times will boost your search engine rankings as much as a regularly updated blog.”

“While WOM has always been the most credible way to expand awareness and adoption, blogging fits into all this as the most powerful WOM delivery mechanism to date.”

“The blogosphere is a better place to market your reputation than sell your goods, and in the end that will prove more valuable.”

“Because blogs help organizations get closer to customers and customers closer to brands, blogs are a powerful tool that few can afford to ignore.”

“Good word of mouth in the blogosphere leads to coverage in the offline media.”

“Authenticity is the core value that makes blogging such a new and different way for businesses to communicate. If authenticity is the defining feature of blogging, then credibility is its benefit.”

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This book is simply brilliant. In fact, it’s so brilliant that I’m blogging for the SECOND time today, just to tell you guys about it. And I believe it will soon be looked upon as the bible of blogging. Therefore, if you have a blog and haven’t read it yet, go buy it now!

Thanks, Robert and Shel. You guys certainly understand professional approachability. Oh, and nice touch with the naked booksigning.

(By the way Robert/Shel, I chose NOT to correct that typo in the beginning of this post…just for you 😉

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Why are you reading this? Go buy the damn book!

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Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com